Tottenham Hotspur are not in negotiations to sign Barcelona defender Jules Kounde this summer, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano.
Spurs dismiss right-back rumours
Reports had recently suggested the Premier League club were pursuing a high-profile deal for the France international.
However, Romano has definitively clarified that no talks have taken place between the North London side and the Catalan giants.
The highly-rated defender remains a crucial part of Hansi Flick’s plans in Spain.
Barcelona require defensive depth
With teenager Hector Fort acting as the only other natural right-back, La Blaugrana lack the squad depth to sanction a sudden departure.
Tottenham have been incredibly active in the current transfer window as they look to comprehensively rebuild their defensive ranks.
Despite heavy investment across the pitch, recruiting a new right-sided full-back is not currently considered a priority.
Porro commands starting role
The Lilywhites already possess Spain international Pedro Porro, who has cemented himself as a standout player in that position.
Djed Spence is also available to provide dynamic cover and intense competition on the right flank following his return to the club.
Consequently, Spurs have absolutely no immediate need to launch a substantial bid for the former Sevilla star.
Arsenal are exploring a British-record £137m move for Real Madrid forward Vinicius Junior in a deal that would shatter manager Mikel Arteta’s strict wage structure following their Premier League title triumph.
The Brazilian international has just one year remaining on his current contract at the Bernabeu.
Securing the 26-year-old would require the North London club to offer a staggering salary of at least £400,000 per week.
Shifting financial strategy
Such a lucrative package would represent a significant departure from the financial discipline established early in Arteta’s reign.
The Spanish tactician previously offloaded high-earners like Mesut Ozil and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang to rebuild the squad’s culture and wage bill.
However, securing their first league crown in more than two decades has placed the Gunners in a formidable financial position.
The club recently demonstrated a willingness to invest heavily by handing homegrown winger Bukayo Saka a new deal worth £365,000 a week.
Mourinho factor and Spanish future
The dynamic attacker’s future in Madrid has been clouded by the recent appointment of Jose Mourinho as manager on a three-year contract.
Tensions previously flared between the pair after the former Chelsea boss criticised the winger regarding a racism incident involving Benfica’s Gianluca Prestianni.
Mourinho, who was managing the Portuguese side during the Champions League clash in February, made pointed remarks about the forward’s involvement in controversies.
“Something happens, always.”
Despite past friction, the returning Portuguese coach has reportedly indicated his desire to keep the star winger in the Spanish capital.
Contract negotiations between the player’s representatives and Los Blancos remain ongoing.
Summer recruitment drive
If an agreement cannot be reached, the Spanish giants are expected to sanction a sale this summer rather than risk losing their prized asset on a free transfer next year.
Arsenal have already bolstered their attacking ranks during this window by completing the £34m acquisition of Christos Tzolis from Club Brugge.
Adding a player of this global profile would serve as a formidable statement of intent to their domestic rivals ahead of their title defence.
Kimi Antonelli has firmly established himself as Formula 1’s newest superstar by dominating for Mercedes during a turbulent 2026 season marred by controversial engine regulations and calendar uncertainty.
The sport heads into its traditional summer break after a frantic opening 11 races under sweeping new technical rules.
Mercedes have fully justified their pre-season status as title favourites by securing eight victories and 10 pole positions so far.
Italian teenager fulfils generational hype
Following an underwhelming rookie campaign in 2025, Antonelli has taken a monumental step forward this year.
The 19-year-old was initially expected to play second fiddle to established team-mate George Russell.
However, the lightning-fast youngster has completely usurped the British driver to take control of the championship narrative.
While Russell has battled a string of misfortune and comfort issues with the new chassis, blistering pace seems to flow effortlessly from the young prodigy.
His driving has been widely praised as decisive, committed and extraordinarily cool under pressure.
New power unit regulations draw heavy criticism
The 2026 championship introduced the most significant aerodynamic and engine overhaul in modern motorsport history.
The mandated equal power split between internal combustion and electrical output has left the cars severely energy-starved on track.
When battery deployment is exhausted, the heavily restricted power units produce significantly less horsepower than a junior Formula 3 machine.
They have turned into charging stations.
That was the damning verdict of veteran Fernando Alonso when describing how the need to harvest energy has neutered many of the calendar’s most iconic corners.
This dramatic energy fluctuation has triggered an artificial brand of racing where cars repeatedly swap positions based purely on sudden battery deployment.
Four-time world champion Max Verstappen is among several leading figures who have strongly questioned the authenticity of these forced overtaking manoeuvres.
Calendar chaos overshadows the grid
Off the track, global conflict has caused unprecedented disruption to the traditional international touring schedule.
Even as the paddock disperses for a mandatory two-week shutdown, teams remain completely in the dark regarding exactly how many grands prix will ultimately be contested this year.
Real Madrid have agreed a deal worth over £100m to sign 19-year-old winger Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig, making him the most expensive African player in history.
The Spanish giants have secured the Ivorian international in a landmark transfer that breaks previous financial records for both clubs.
Leipzig are set to receive their highest-ever fee for the teenager, who only joined them for €20m from Leganes less than 18 months ago.
During his first full season in European football, the lightning-fast forward registered an impressive 13 goals and 10 assists across all competitions.
A rapid rise to the Bernabeu
Before his breakthrough in La Liga, the highly-rated prospect struggled to find a professional club following a stint at Florida-based DME Academy.
He endured unsuccessful trial periods with several British sides, including Chelsea, Crystal Palace and Rangers, before Leganes finally took a chance on him.
That leap of faith proved highly lucrative for the Spanish outfit, as his explosive performances quickly alerted the Red Bull-funded club to his immense potential.
Beating Europe’s elite to a rare talent
Initially, the Bundesliga side had hoped to retain their star asset for another season to maximise his soaring market value.
However, intense interest from Liverpool and Paris St-Germain ultimately forced the German team to negotiate an immediate departure.
The versatile attacker, who featured for his country at the recent World Cup, is equally comfortable playing on either flank.
Primarily a right-footed dribbler, the former academy reject thrived on the right wing in Germany after previously starring on the left side in Spain.
Shohei Ohtani’s return to the pitching mound for the Los Angeles Dodgers has been delayed following continued discomfort in his left knee and right bicep.
The 32-year-old was originally scratched from his first post-All-Star break start in late July due to a persistent lower-body issue.
He successfully threw a 30-pitch bullpen session in Philadelphia shortly after, but a subsequent scheduled session was ultimately postponed.
Speaking after a narrow 7-6 defeat by the Seattle Mariners, the Japanese international admitted his right arm was also causing lingering problems.
Caution prioritised over accelerated return
The two-way superstar revealed the franchise is taking a highly cautious approach because it is still relatively early in the baseball calendar.
“It is still July. I think the conversations would be a little different if we’re in August or September.”
Shohei Ohtani, speaking through an interpreter.
He has not pitched in a competitive game since early July, when he threw a season-high 110 pitches before exiting with irritation in his throwing arm.
While the offensive powerhouse remains crucial to the batting lineup, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts confirmed they have paused his throwing programme entirely.
“If we look at him, and his value to our ballclub, we need him in the lineup. The swing, the running of the bases — the knee, the arm doesn’t compromise that.”
Dave Roberts, Los Angeles Dodgers manager.
Dodgers rotation receives timely injury boosts
Despite the uncertainty surrounding their marquee player’s pitching status, the National League West leaders are currently welcoming back several key figures.
The Los Angeles outfit is currently tied for the sport’s best overall record and possesses its largest division lead.
Utility player Enrique Hernandez has already been activated from the injured list, while star closer Edwin Diaz is expected to follow shortly.
High-profile starting pitchers Blake Snell and Tyler Glasnow are also progressing well and could rejoin the major league rotation next month.
Anti-discrimination charity Kick It Out is demanding stricter punishments across English football after recording an unprecedented 1,255 incidents of abuse during the 2025-26 season.
The total number of reports received by the organisation surged to 1,744 for the campaign, representing a significant 25% increase compared to the previous year.
Samuel Okafor, the body’s chief executive, warned that racism remains deeply ingrained within the sport as a reflection of wider societal issues.
Sharp rise in targeted abuse
Racism remained the most frequently reported offence with 792 cases, while homophobic incidents jumped by 46% to reach 203 reports.
Faith-based discrimination also saw alarming spikes, with Islamophobia rocketing by 88% and antisemitic reports climbing by 43%.
The anti-discrimination chief expects imminent action from governing bodies to address the worsening crisis.
Tougher sanctions are needed, and I believe tougher sanctions will come, hopefully in the next few weeks, where people will face the consequences of their actions.
Samuel Okafor
Grassroots players face horrific treatment
The stark national statistics mirror the grim reality for many semi-professional competitors, including Route One Rovers player Umar Ali.
The Bradford-based footballer was subjected to vile racial and Islamophobic taunts by opposition spectators while waiting to be substituted during Ramadan.
One of the fans said I should shave my beard off and that I looked like a paedophile.
Umar Ali
Ali expressed distress that the abusers were elderly men who felt entirely comfortable shouting such comments in public.
Despite the assistant referee hearing the abuse, the match official allegedly took no action, leaving the police to later identify the culprits.
Calls for top-down action
Mohammed Patel, manager of the semi-professional side, felt the match officials severely fell short of their duties by failing to eject the offenders.
Some of the things that were said were absolutely horrific. In my opinion, more needs to be done from the top down.
Mohammed Patel
While the opposition coaching staff issued an apology, the Route One Rovers boss insisted that local associations must actively intervene to protect players.
England must navigate the standard qualification process for Euro 2028 after Uefa opted against granting automatic entry to the tournament’s co-hosts.
The Three Lions will stage the European Championship alongside their fellow home nations and the Republic of Ireland.
European football’s governing body has allocated only two reserved spaces for the staging nations.
As a result, the national team will be drawn into standard qualifying groups to earn their place on merit.
Safety net for struggling hosts
All 12 group winners and the eight best runners-up will secure their places conventionally.
The two reserved host slots will act as a fallback option for any staging nation that fails to progress.
If more than two hosts fall short during the preliminary rounds, those safety-net places will be awarded based on overall qualifying rankings.
Contrast with global approach
This strict stance differs significantly from Fifa’s handling of the 2030 World Cup.
The global governing body handed automatic places to all six countries involved in their centenary event.
Spain, Portugal, and Morocco are the primary hosts, while Argentina, Uruguay, and Paraguay will stage opening fixtures.
The South American trio are consequently guaranteed their spots regardless of their qualification performance.
Wembley awaits the finalists
The 2028 European Championship will feature 24 teams competing across 51 matches.
London’s iconic Wembley Stadium has already been selected to host both the semi-finals and the showpiece final.
England will be heavily fancied to reach the home tournament following consecutive European Championship final appearances.
Draymond Green has agreed a new one-year contract worth $27.7m to remain with the Golden State Warriors, extending his stay into a 14th season.
The veteran forward’s new agreement does not include a no-trade clause, following negotiations led by Klutch Sports chief executive Rich Paul.
He had previously declined a $27.6m player option earlier this summer in a move designed to create financial flexibility for the franchise.
LeBron James pursuit and trade rumours
That initial contract decision allowed Golden State to aggressively pursue LeBron James, but the four-time NBA champion ultimately opted to join the Philadelphia 76ers.
With their primary free-agency target heading elsewhere, the Western Conference side moved quickly to secure the defensive specialist’s return.
His future in San Francisco had appeared deeply uncertain earlier this year after he was involved in trade discussions with the Milwaukee Bucks for Giannis Antetokounmpo.
“There was a second of me at the deadline that felt like, ‘Damn, they really going to do that to me?'”
“But I understand this business probably as good as any player. Like, yo, this is Giannis Antetokounmpo, they are not just about to trade me for a bag of peanuts.”
A changing role under Steve Kerr
The Warriors eventually abandoned their pursuit of the Greek star and declined to revisit those conversations during the off-season.
The four-time All-Star now boasts the second-longest active streak with a single NBA team, trailing only his team-mate Stephen Curry.
Curry is currently preparing to enter an astonishing 18th campaign with the organisation this October.
Despite his production slowly dipping during a campaign where he averaged 27.5 minutes across 68 appearances, the Michigan native remains a crucial rotation piece.
He has even voiced a willingness to transition into a bench role if head coach Steve Kerr deems the tactical adjustment necessary.